Fig. 1. (a) Schematic diagram showing the bio-sensing mechanism. The lipid coating on the liquid crystal droplet initially induces a radial director geometry. Exposure to the AMP removes the lipid coating, inducing a planar surface alignment and bipolar droplet geometry. LC molecules: green rods. (b) Amino acid sequence of Smp43. (c) Molecular structure of 1,2-dio-leoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) sodium salt (DOPG) lipids used for the monolayer lipid coating on the LC droplet.